Harry Smith leaves CBS News for NBC

Peacock to announce new role for news vet on Monday

Brian Williams’ upcoming primetime hour on NBC is racking up a big staff, especially for a show with no name and no start date. The latest: Harry Smith, who left CBS on Friday.

Smith, along with Maggie Rodriguez and Dave Price, were replaced on CBS’ “Early Show” last year.

“Harry Smith has been a fixture here at CBS News for a generation,” Eye news prexy David Rhodes said in an email to staff on Friday. “In my own recent time at CBS News I enjoyed working with Harry as he reported from Egypt, Libya, Malta, and Japan,” Rhodes wrote.

NBC confirmed that Smith will be joining the network but declined to confirm his position at Williams’ as-yet-unnamed primetime hour.

Meanwhile, other journos rumored to be eyeing contributor spots on the show include Meredith Vieira, who left “Today” in June. Smith won’t be the only CBS vet to jump to Williams’ program — BBC America’s Rome Hartman, who produced “Evening News” during Katie Couric’s tenure, headed to NBC News last month, where he will exec produce the show under the newly promoted David Corvo.

The Williams show is said to be a departure from the traditional newsmag beat — true crime, celebrity and medical stories — looking instead to compete with “60 Minutes.”